ISLAMABAD: The United States agreed to enhance counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan and resume programs to help the South Asian state deal with violent extremism, said an official statement circulated in Islamabad at the end of a two-day dialogue between the two countries.
The US State Department’s Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Christopher Landberg arrived in Pakistan’s federal capital over the weekend with an interagency delegation to participate in the counterterrorism dialogue to develop a joint approach of dealing with common threats facing the two states.
“The Dialogue provided an opportunity to discuss the counterterrorism landscape in Pakistan and the broader region, with a focus on areas where the United States and Pakistan can better collaborate to counter regional and global threats, improve cooperation, prevent and counter violent extremism, and combat terrorism financing,” the statement said.
“Both governments resolved to increase dialogue on these topics and continue discussing paths to restart or introduce counterterrorism programs to assist Pakistan’s efforts to better counter all forms of violent extremism,” it added.
The counterterrorism consultations between the two countries took place at a time when Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant violence after the Pakistani Taliban called off a ceasefire with the government in November.
As suicide bombings and other violent attacks increased in Pakistan, the US announced it was prepared to help the administration in Islamabad deal with the challenge of militancy.
The official Pakistani statement maintained the two-day counterterrorism dialogue highlighted the deepening cooperation between the US and Pakistan in a range of areas, including trade and investment.
